Hello Everyone! - Rum and Cigars

[Hank Koestner]

Greetings to all! My name is Hank, and I am a Rum lover living in Orlando, FL.
My collection is presently at 40 to 50 or so bottles. I have always loved rum, but have been serious about it for about three years. I am also a cigar lover, and I taste many cigars and find that rum is the best match as a spirit!
I started to keep a list of cigar/ rum matchups that I think are extraordinary. I will post them periodically, so that other cigar fans can try my pairings.
I am looking forward to corresponding with all of you. We can exchange ideas on rum and cigars, and of course anything related to our world of rum.
My best to all!

[Rum Runner]

Hi Hank....I too am a cigar lover and think that rum and cigars are like a hand in a glove. I think it's no coincidence that the best of both come from the Caribbean Basin and therefore go hand in hand...Not unlike the fact that the wine from a specific region goes best with the food from the same region....Looking forward to some of your favorite pairings.

Jim

[joflow]

I agree completely. In general, I find that the rich dark sweetness of a maduro really tends to compliment a lot of rums. But I'd be very interested to hear your tasting/smoking notes Hank, looking forward to them.

[Kдpt'n]

...rum & cigar is a great combination. My cigars are nearly 100% Cuban, but I vary in vitola.
Two of my favorites are Bolнvar Coronas Gigantes and Ramon Allones Specialy Selected.

Kдpt'n
(other things I like with cigars: Whisk(e)y, Port, Red Wine, Tea and Sushi)

[Hank Koestner]

Let me begin by saying that this is trully subjective in nature. My taste in cigars and rum can vary in degrees from anothers taste. I like a variety of cigars from mild to full bodied, natural and maduro, and varying sizes. I enjoy cigars from different countries, a good cigar is a good cigar.
It depends on the time of day I am smoking, food intake and time .
The one thing I can say, is that it is a joy and a challenge to try to pick the right Rum for the cigar. A heavy, rich or high alcohol rum can overwhelm a mild or medium cigar, and a lighter rum can be lost on a big full bodied smoke, and
sometimes a good rum can smooth out a cigar, and this can be good or bad.
I usually start with the cigar first, smoke an inch or 2, then choose the rum.
My other favorites with cigars, is Port , Single Malt Scotch and Cognac.
I look forward to hearing from all of you! Send some pairings you enjoy yourself!

Cigar: Coronado by La Flor Double Corona (Dom.Republic)
Rum: El Dorado 15 Year Old

This cigar is complex and rich and changes as you smoke it. It is full bodied
and has a very long finish, and a nice touch of spice and pepper.
I think El Dorado and most aged Demerara Rums mix well with full bodied strong cigars. The 15 year old is one of the best cigar matches I have found. Give it a try and let me know what you think!!

[Hank Koestner]

Neisson Rhum Agricole XO (I spoke of this in another thread)and a
Cuban Cohiba Siglo VI.
The smooth taste of this rum matched perfectly with the medium to full body
of the Cohiba. The Siglo VI is a little stronger than the other cohibas, with that unique smoothness and pepper and spice that is unique to Cuban cigars. Since this rhum is not sweet up front, but has a gentle sweetness on the backside, along with vanilla and wood and it's 45 abv, it married well with the Cohiba without "softening" the flavor of the cigar.
( I did this tasting in the Islands, of course).

[Shalimar]

Another Rum and cigar lover here! Although, I usually do not mix cigars and alcohol (I usually drink coffee or espresso when I smoke).

The other night however, I paired a Cuban Hoyo de Monterrey Epicure 2 with a glass of Neisson Reserve Speciale and it was a fabulous combo.

[Hank Koestner]

That sounds delicious. Cubans do seem to pair well with rhum agricole.
I wish I had a Hoyo, but maybe another will do.............

[El Dorado]

.....The one thing I can say, is that it is a joy and a challenge to try to pick the right Rum for the cigar. A heavy, rich or high alcohol rum can overwhelm a mild or medium cigar, and a lighter rum can be lost on a big full bodied smoke, and
sometimes a good rum can smooth out a cigar, and this can be good or bad.
I usually start with the cigar first, smoke an inch or 2, then choose the rum.
My other favorites with cigars, is Port , Single Malt Scotch and Cognac.
I look forward to hearing from all of you! Send some pairings you enjoy yourself!

Cigar: Coronado by La Flor Double Corona (Dom.Republic)
Rum: El Dorado 15 Year Old

This cigar is complex and rich and changes as you smoke it. It is full bodied
and has a very long finish, and a nice touch of spice and pepper.
I think El Dorado and most aged Demerara Rums mix well with full bodied strong cigars. The 15 year old is one of the best cigar matches I have found. Give it a try and let me know what you think!!

I heard of matching rum and chocolate. This is the first time I am hearing of matching rum and cigar. It would seem that the unique aromas and full body of aged El Dorado rums make a good match with cigars. It seems El Dorado rums go well with a good meal (main course), with chocolate (desert) and with cigar(digestive) - an integral part of any good meal.

[Hank Koestner]

Most cigar smokers love a good spirit, cocktail or even wine with thier cigars.
Because of the varied flavor profiles in rum, and the complexity, pairing is very experimental with rum. ED 15 has the balance, full flavor and finess that pairs well with most medium to full and full bodied cigars. For medium to mild cigars, ED 15 can overwhelm the cigar. I use Ed 12 with some medium giars, and ED 5 with a touch of ice or a splash of coconut water for milder flavorful cigars. Ed 21 can also be paired with full bodied cigars, but some would think the 21 is best enjoyed by itself. Well, at least the first pour.

[El Dorado]

Most cigar smokers love a good spirit, cocktail or even wine with thier cigars.
Because of the varied flavor profiles in rum, and the complexity, pairing is very experimental with rum. ED 15 has the balance, full flavor and finess that pairs well with most medium to full and full bodied cigars. For medium to mild cigars, ED 15 can overwhelm the cigar. I use Ed 12 with some medium giars, and ED 5 with a touch of ice or a splash of coconut water for milder flavorful cigars. Ed 21 can also be paired with full bodied cigars, but some would think the 21 is best enjoyed by itself. Well, at least the first pour.

Good to hear your expert opinion. Probably because of the balance of the El Dorado 15 it also pairs well with dark chocolate. I would have thought that the El Dorado 12 would have paired better with the dark chocolate but the pairing expert Duane Dove that the El Dorado 15 is better.Probably the El Dorado 12 will go better with normal sweet chocolate. One of the things that I have found with El Dorado rums is that because of their body and flavours they tend to lend or pair themselves very easily and supplely with most products - food, chocolates, cigars, you name it, hence enhancing the unique characteristics of these products. But like you said I like my rums straight - at least the first one. That's the only way you can realy enjoy the unique flavours of the rum appreciate this piece of art.

[Tiare]

That's the only way you can realy enjoy the unique flavours of the rum appreciate this piece of art.

I have to agree with that. I havenґt tried all El Dorado rums yet, but my 15 i don`t want to drink in any other way than neat.

Now on to the chocolate..i have received some really nice quality dark chocolate which i`ll pair with my El D15 to see how that tastes together..;)

but the pairing expert Duane Dove that the El Dorado 15 is better.

[El Dorado]

I have to agree with that. I havenґt tried all El Dorado rums yet, but my 15 i don`t want to drink in any other way than neat.

Now on to the chocolate..i have received some really nice quality dark chocolate which i`ll pair with my El D15 to see how that tastes together..;)

When you do your pairing let us get the feed back. I would also like you to pair your dark chocolate with El Dorado 12 years and give me your opinion. I love El Dorado 12 years, the body, the flavours/aromas, the mouth feel and probably that is tipping me for the pairing.

[Tiare]

When you do your pairing let us get the feed back.

You have caused me to have my own private rum and chocolate tasting/pairing tonight..there are worse ways to spend a evening..

I will write a new thread about this rum and chocolate pairing so i don`t hijack Hank`s rum and cigar thread.

[tym2relax]

You have caused me to have my own private rum and chocolate tasting/pairing tonight..there are worse ways to spend a evening..

I will write a new thread about this rum and chocolate pairing so i don`t hijack Hank`s rum and cigar thread.

Let's not forget dark chocolate and cigars.

[KINGSTON]

Welcome aboard! Their is nothing better than Rum + Cigars.

[MAgner]

Hello Hank K.

Reply to an old thread.
Do you still live in Orlando?. On a trip there(2009) some of our guests wanted cigars to take home. A place we stopped at near Universal also had a rum bar. They had another Orlando location which they said carried some pre-embargo Cuban rums. Are you familiar with the company? Any comments or recommendations to search in Orlando?

Thanks, Mike

[MAgner]

Found it

Corona Cigar co- Pre Embargo rums and Prohibition era whiskeys- mostly 1000 to 5000 per bottle. Only a very few listed for tasting 125-400 per oz.